Bottle crate



Nov. 29, 1938. w. A. MCCUTCHEN 2,138,424

BOTTLE CRATE Filed Feb. 8, 1937 2 Sheets-Shet 1 INVENTOR M 6 u fc/ven ATTORNEY,

2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

W. A. M CUTCHEN BOTTLE CRATE Filed Feb. 8, 1957 Nov. 29, 1938.

Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

My invention relates to a bottle crate or similar container comprising, a .body of suitable ma terial which is customarily assembled by means of corner metallic reinforcements and provided with stacking irons and a grid that is mounted in the crate body and adapted to support and position the bottles therein.

Usually the grid frame is formed by wires anchored at their ends in the crate body or supported by its corner metallic reinforcements and in both cases the gridbecomes a permanent part of the crate.

According to my present invention, I propose to use in the grid upper and lower grates formed 15 by crossed positioning wires which are made fast at theirends to a marginal frame wire, and to materially increase the strength of the mounting of such grid by seating its marginal positioning frame wire or wires about marginal retaining shoulders formed in the joints of the crate body so that the shoulders provide a 1 continuous anchorage and support for the grate wires to prevent collapse under heavy loads or severe strains imposed thereon.

In one embodiment of my invention, I propose to use several wire positioning grates in the grid and to provide each with its respective marginal frame wire and an anchorage shoulder therefor formed in the crate body joints.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention only the upper positioning grate is formed with a marginal frame wire which engages over and is anchored by a top shoulder formed on aligned intermediate end and side slats in the crate body, the lower positioning grate and the bottom supporting grate being suspended from the top grate by vertical tie wires so that the whole grid is demountable upwardly from the crate by removing the slats above those carrying the marginal frame retaining shoulder. This provides a readily demountable grid structure and requires only the cutting of the eight rivets that tie the top slats to the corner reinforcements.

A further object of my invention is to provide bottom corner supports for the several grids which are preferably formed integral with the lower ends of the interior corner bracing angles.

My invention further contemplates bracing the wire elements at the different levels forming the grates of the grid assembly by welding them to marginal and intermediate vertical tie members, whereby the grate as a whole is rigidly braced and adapted to be very strongly and securely mounted in the crate.

An advantage common to allforms 'ofmy present invention is that the marginal frame wires for the positioning grates are entirely removed from the interior of the crate, thus increasing its available area for bottle storage and concealing wires which otherwise detract from the ap- 5 pearance of the crate and render more difficult its cleansing.

In one embodiment of my invention the marginal frame wires are set into intermediate grooves formed between the slats and are thus concealed from view interiorly and exteriorly of the crate, but in another embodiment only the upper marginal frame wire is used and it is seated in externally exposed position in a rabbet formed about the top edge of the lower crate slats, which arrangement materially increases the thickness of the reinforcing shoulder for the marginal frame wire.

My invention further comprises the novel details of construction and arrangements of parts which, in their preferred embodiments only, are hereinafter more particularly described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which: 25

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a crate embodying my invention.

Figs. 2 and '3 are vertical cross sectional views taken respectively on the lines 11-11 of Fig. 1 and III-III of Fig. 2. 30

Fig. 4 is a view of the preferred embodiment of my invention shown partly in side elevation and'partly in cross section corresponding to Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the crate partly disassembled and shown partly in end elevation and 35 partly in cross section corresponding to Fig. 3, the crate slats above the grid retaining shoulder being removed, one of the corner reinforcing irons being broken away, and the dotted lines showing the grid frame lifted bodily upwardly from the crate.

Fig. 6 is a detail cross sectional view showing the bottom corner angle supports for the grid frame.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a modification of the upper positioning frame engaged with its retaining shoulder.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings, and in all views except Fig. '7 the thickness of the walls of the crate and the size of the grid wires are exaggerated to better illustrate the invention, it being understood that standard sized material will be used for the construction of the crate;

"In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, I show a conventional type of crate made up of end slats H], II, l2, l3 and bottom metal sheathed runners l4, and side slats l5, l6, ll, I8 and bottom side runners I9. These several slats are suitably reinforced and held assembled by exterior corner angles 20 and interior corner angles 2|, the angles at each corner being connected together by suitable rivets 22 which traverse top, bottom and intermediate slats. The stacking irons 23 are preferably formed at the upper ends of the corner braces'Zl and these braces at their lower ends are provided with inturned lugs or shoulders 24 which provide a suit able bottom supporting ledge for the grid frame.

The grid frame is shown comprising anupper wire positioning grate, a lower wire positioning.

grate, and a bottom bottle supporting grate, each grate being formed by wires crossed at right angles and welded at their intersections; and each grate comprising a marginal frame wire to which the grate wires are welded or otherwise made fast. The marginal frame wires 25 for the two positioning grates are similar in size and disposed in vertical alignment. The marginal frame wire 26 for .the bottom supporting grate is smaller in perimeter than the frame wires 25 and is adapted to rest on and be supported by the corner lugs 24. The slats l2 and I1 have L- shaped grooves or rabbets out along their upper and lower edges, these rabbets forming continuous grooves which open interiorly into the crate and which provide a continuous inner marginal retaining shoulder 21 along the top and bottom edges of these body slats. The grooves intersect at the crate corners so that the marginal frame wires 26 can be fitted into the grooves.

It isimportant to note that the grate wires are welded to their respective frame wires 25 above or below the latter, according to whether such'marginal wires are to fit into the upper or lower retaining grooves and the diameter of the grating wires is substantially equal to the distance from the'shoulder 2'! to the adjacent edge of the slat 92 or' H. As a result of this arrangement the slats when assembled will engage the grate wires and hold the marginal frame wires fixedly in engagement with their respective retaining shoulder 21. This leaves interior marg'inal grooves 28 in the grate, each having a width substantially equal to the diameter or thickness of the positioning grate wires.

The upper and lower positioning grates comprise parallel vertically aligned transverse wires 30 and similarly related longitudinal wires 3|. The bottom supporting grate comprises pairs of Iongitudinal wires 32, each pair being arranged'centrally under a row of bottle cells, and also transverse wires 39. The wires of each grate in the grid frame where they pass over or under each other are welded together and they are welded at their ends to their respective marginal frame wires.

Where it is desired to brace the grid frame interiorally to increase its rigidity and strength, I utilize vertical tie wires 34, shown in Fig. 1, which are welded to the intersecting wires of the two positioning grates andare welded also to the transverse wires 33 of the supporting grate, thus tying the several grid elements together into a unitary structure;

The load strains coming upon the grid are transferred first to' the marginal frame wires 25 and thence to the reinforcing and retaining shoulders 27, and are also imparted to the supporting lugs 24 of the corner bracing irons. The

slat members l2 in the old crate.

grid frame as thus organized and mounted will possess great strength and can be made of relatively light wire. While this form of grid mounting does not readily lend itself to the dismounting of the grid from the crate, this can nevertheless be done by cutting away the rivets which retain the crate slats I0, l5, l2 and ll and lifting the slats upwardly out of the corner braces. The grid frame will come out with the slats l2 and N. If the intermediate brace wires 34 are used only to tie the lower positioning wires to the bottom supporting grate, the grid frame can be disengaged from the slats l2 and Il afferred to other crates or reinstated with new It is, however, desirable in this construction to extend the brace wires 34 so as to tie all three grates together and under such conditions the grid is not demountable from the crate slats I2 and l! unless the latter are sawed longitudinally in half and half replacement slat sections and sprung into place.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, which will now be described, the advantageous principles of construction heretofore pointed out are retained and yet the grid frame becomes,

readily demountable and interchangeable with the'removal only of the eight top rivets in the corner. braces.

trated in Figs. 4 to '7, and particularly referring to Figs. 4 to 6, I show the crate as comprising only two intermediate body members between the top and bottom elements Hl, I4, l and I9 of the crate, the lower members on the sides being indicated at 35 and on the ends at 36 and the upper members being indicated at3'l onthe sides and 38 on the ends. These members are held assembled by the inner corner braces 2| .ter removal from the crate and can be trans- I This embodiment of my invention is illus-..

and is of a depth corresponding to the diameter of the frame wire 42. As shown this groove is formed about the lower members 35 and 36 and double strength shoulder 21.

trically or otherwise suitably welded to the top edge of the frame wire 42 so as to be firmly anchored thereto and the spacing provided between the edges of the upper and lower crate body members corresponds to the diameter'or thickness of these upper positioning grate Wires.

In Fig. '7 I show a detail view of the manner in which the frame wire 42 and the upper positioning grate wires are clamped and held in position between the body members 35 and 31, these members in this view being shown in correct proportion to the cross section of the grate wires. The positioning frame wires 3! have their ends 41 flattened to reduce thickness and increase the area of the weld to frame wire 42. This tends to close the open jointsbetween the slats. Since the bracing obtained by the engagement of the frame wire 42 about the thicker shoulder 21 will give the grid greater strength even lighter grate wiring could be used. The groove 48 in this design differs from 42 in that it is cut with a curved seat conforming to the contour of the frame Wire 42 so as to provide a better seat for this wire and to increase the strengthof its retaining shoulder.

The grid in its preferred construction differs from that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 in that the lower marginal frame wire 25 is omitted and the lower positioning grate wires are suspended from the upper grate wires by transverse U-shaped wires, the vertical legs 44 of which'are welded to the upper and lower grate wires 36 at their ends closely adjacent to the sides of the crate, the bottom leg 45 of these U-shaped wires being passed under and welded to the supporting wires 32 and also to the intermediate brace wires 34 (see Fig. 1). The bottom marginal frame wire 26 is likewise braced to the adjacent ends of the longitudinal wires 3| by vertical wires 46. These vertical bracing and tie wires 34, 44 and 46 tie the two positioning grates together and to the cross supporting grate wires 45 of the bottom supporting grate and thus the grid as a whole is rigidly assembled and supported both by suspension from the rigidly held upper positioning grate and by reason of its support from the bottomlugs 24 on the inner corner braces.

As shown in Fig. 6 the marginal frame Wire 26 for the supporting grate is bent inwardly to pass on the inside of the vertical legs 44 of the U-shaped cross brace wires.

The dotted lines in Fig. show in end view the assembled grid frame detached from the crate by the removal of the body elements above 35 and 36, these elements being removable by cutting away the eight upper rivets 22. When these rivets are cut away the upper body members are readily lifted out from between the corner angles and the grid can be lifted up until all but the bottom frame wire 26 clears the stacking irons 23 and by slightly cocking the grid it will clear the stacking irons and can be removed and replaced bodily with a minimum of trouble and expense. This renders the grid readily interchangeable so that new grids can replace those that are damaged and new body elements can be introduced for use with old grids, thus increasing the life of service of the crate.

While I have shown my invention in but two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a crate, assembled slats forming a crate body, a wire grid assembly comprising connected positioning and supporting wires and a marginal frame wire, a marginal shoulder provided between slats in the crate body and disposed within said frame wire whereby the grid is interlocked with said shoulder and thereby demountably held in position in the crate.

2. A crate comprising body members assembled edge to edge with corner braces and corner stacking irons, a continuous shoulder provided about the edges of body sections, bottom supports rigid with the crate, and a grid frame comprising interconnected positioning and supporting grates,

thesupportirig grates resting upon said bottom supports, and the positioning grate comprisingan upper marginal frame' wire interposed between body sections and held thereby in engagement with said shoulders, said grid being bodily removable upwardly when the body sections overlying its marginal frame wire are removed from engagement with the corner braces.

3. A crate comprising body sections meeting edge to edge, corner braces secured to and holding said sections assembled and comprising inner angles having inturned lugs at'their bottom ends and stacking projections at their upper ends, a grid frame comprising positioning and supporting grates, the latter being adapted to rest on the bottom lugs on the corner braces, and a marginal frame wire to which the positioning grate is secured, a channel groove out along the meeting edges of body sections and adapted to receive said marginal frame Wire between the channel sides, the positioning grate elements being engaged between the edges of body sections and adapted to hold the marginal frame wire in said channel groove.

4. In a crate comprising assembled body sections meeting edge to edge, corner brace means to hold said sections assembled, the sections having their edges lying in one level cut with an intermediate recess continuous about the crate body, and a grid frame demountable from the crate and comprising intersecting wires welded to a marginal frame wire to form a grate, said frame wire being adapted to fit into said groove and to be held in position therein by the engagement of the body sections with its attached grate wires.

5. A crate according to claim 4, in which the grid comprises two positioning grates, each having its respective marginal frame wire, and the crate body sections having a receiving groove for each frame wire.

6. A crate according to claim 4, in which the grid comprises two positioning grates, each having its respective marginal frame wire andthe crate body sections having a receiving groove for each frame wire, the grooves for both frame wires being formed in the same crate sections.

7. A crate comprising body sections and corner bracing means holding said sections assembled edge to edge, the section edges lying in a common plane having a continuous external channel formed therein, a grid frame having a marginal frame wire adapted to said channel, and positioning grate wires welder to said frame wire and engaged between the body sections to hold the frame wire in its channel.

8. A crate according to claim 7, in which the channel has a depth corresponding to the diameter of the frame wire and has its inner wall shaped to conform to the wire.

9. A crate according to claim '7, in which the grate wires are flattened where they pass between the crate sections and are welded to the frame wire.

10. A crate comprising body sections and corner bracing means holding said sections assembled edge to edge, inner and outer spaced marginal shoulders provided between the adjacent edges of body sections lying in a common horizontal plane, and a grid comprising a marginal frame wire adapted to be engaged between said shoulders, and grate wires connected tosaid frame wire being engaged between the body sections to hold the said frame wire in position between said shoulders.

11. A crate comprising body sections and'corner brace means holding said sections assembled edge to edge, a welded wire grid'comprising interconnected positioning and supporting grates,'the

supporting grate having a marginal frame wire of less perimeter than the inside perimeter of the'crate, the positioning grate having a marginal frame wirejof greater perimeter than the 1 interior of the crate, and a continuous shoulder, 10'

interconnecting means for the grid grates comprise vertical marginal ,brace'members welded to the" grid grates inrposition to stand close to the inner crate wall. V

13. A crate according to claim 11, in which the'means interconnecting the grid grates comprise U-wires underlying; and welded to the bottom supporting grate elements and having upturned ends juxtaposed to -the grate walls and welded to overlying elements of the several grid grates, and intermediate vertical braces welded to the overlying elements of the several grates to rigidly brace the grid assembly.

WILLIAM A. McCUTCI-IEN. 

